QR codes contain lots of information, can simplify your life

You can find them everywhere now, those weird-looking symbols that look like something from a science-fiction movie. They're on store windows, sale flyers, business cards, magazines and product packages. Some people are even sporting them as tattoos. But what are they, an alien art form?

They're called QR codes (Quick Response) and although they have been common in Japan for some time, they're just coming into mainstream use in North America. QR codes can store lots of encoded information but to access that information you need a QR code scanner. Luckily for us, most smartphones now have high-quality cameras that can double as code scanners with the right app.

OK, so now you know what QR codes are but what are some of the things they can do when scanned?

Store a contact vCard that will automatically transfer to a mobile phone

Store email information and open a pre-addressed, blank email

Automatically send a mobile device to a web site

Automatically dial a phone number

Address an SMS or text message

Automatically connect a wireless phone to a WiFi network

Deliver a Geo Location

Send event information to a calendar

Install an app on a mobile device

Instead of putting all that www.myaddress.com and thisisme@gmail.com on your business cards, for instance, you could make a clean design and include a small QR code so people could quickly transfer that information to their mobile device. Or put a code on return address labels to direct people to your blog. Car dealers could use QR code stickers that would take customers to a web page for each car with lots of photos and details. You could use them as property tags so that when items are misplaced the codes can deliver your contact information. Keep thinking about it and you'll find many more uses.

To scan the codes you need a smartphone with a camera and a QR code app. Some Android phones come with one called ZXing (Zebra Crossing) and another popular one is called QR Droid. Many others are available in the Android Marketplace.

On the iPhone you'll find more than 50 app choices available. My favorite two are ATTScanner (from AT&T) and i-nigma 4. Both these code reader apps also are available for Android and Blackberry too.

So how do you create your own QR codes? It's very simple, thanks to many web sites providing tools for QR code creation. All you do is enter the data you want included in the code, then press one button and you'll get a QR code image you can download. Here are a few of my favorite sites for QR code creation:

So what if you already have a box full of business cards but you want to add QR codes to them? Add stickers! This business, stickerscan.com, specializes in making QR code stickers, signs, magnets and even temporary tattoos for various uses. You also can make them yourself by using one of the QR code generators above and some sticker paper for your printer.

Once you understand how they work, QR codes can be great for driving traffic to your online business and also can be a lot of fun to use with social media accounts. You can even use them to create a high-tech scavenger hunt with new clues available each time participants scan a found code. For an example, scan the code at left and tell me what you think.

About this blog

Living in a convenient and connected world means keeping up to date on the latest technology and gadgets. To help you sort out what's worth exploring for your own tech needs, we'll give you a one-stop guide to some of the newest products on the market — smartphones, cameras, video games, automotive products, household gadgets and more. In other words, the cool stuff.